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      Miralem Pjanic completes shock Sharjah FC free transfer as Barcelona terminate contract after just 19 LaLiga games

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      BARCELONA midfielder Miralem Pjanic has made a shock switch to Sharjah FC after having his contract terminated at the Nou Camp.The 32-year-old, who joined the Catalan giants in 2020, moves to the UAE-based club for free until 2024, with the option of a further year.
      Pjanic has seen his Barcelona contract terminated ahead of a free transfer to the UAECredit: Getty
      Barcelona facilitated the move by ripping up his contract – which wasn’t due to expire for another two seasons.
      A club statement read: “Barcelona and Miralem Pjanić have reached an agreement to release the player from the contract binding the player to the club until the end of the 2023/24 season.
      “The club publicly expresses its gratitude to the player for his professionalism, dedication and commitment and for always adapting his contract to the club’s situations and needs.
      “It wishes him every success and fortune in the future.”
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      Moments after Barcelona’s announcement, the switch to Sharjah was confirmed.
      Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano tweeted: “Official, confirmed. Miralem Pjanić leaves Barcelona and joins Sharjah FC on permanent deal, contract valid until June 2024 with option until June 2025.
      “Deal signed after agreement reached last Monday.”
      Pjanic made 30 appearances for Barcelona in the 2020/21 campaign after joining from Juventus – with 19 of those coming in LaLiga.
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      Last year the Bosnian was shipped out on loan to Turkey where he spent a season with Besiktas, playing 26 times.
      Upon returning to the Nou Camp, Pjanic has been on the bench for every one of Barcelona’s games so far this season.
      And he has not received a single minute of action – although does have a new hairline after his Turkish stint.
      The likes of Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets are all ahead of Pjanic in the Nou Camp pecking order.
      Now he has departed European football altogether and moved to the Middle East.
      In joining UAE outfit Sharjah FC, the midfielder will be linking up with Paco Alcacer.
      Read More on The Sun
      The only trophy Pjanic has to show for his time at Barcelona is the Copa del Rey, which he won in 2021.
      However, he did win four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias with Juventus. More

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      Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso both left out of Barcelona squad for Champions League opener despite late transfers

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      BARCELONA have left new signings Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso out of their Champions League squad. It comes after the full-backs sealed late transfers to the club from Arsenal and Chelsea respectively.
      Hector Bellerin during his unveiling as a new Barcelona playerCredit: Getty
      Marcos Alonso was unveiled alongside BellerinCredit: Getty
      Barcelona boss Xavi explained his reasoning behind the omissions.
      “They are two signings, they have to get used to what we are doing,” he told reporters.
      “They haven’t had minutes this season and they need a little more physical work. Saturday they will be in the squad.”
      However, Xavi did also detail the need to have plenty of players in the squad.
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      He added: “There will be rotations. The calendar is very demanding, we need people to have minutes, there is tiredness, fatigue and niggles after the Sevilla match.
      “We have a big squad and we have to rotate. That’s the idea.”
      Bellerin had his contract with Arsenal terminated in order to complete a transfer back to his boyhood club, whom he originally left in 2011 to join The Gunners.
      The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Blaugrana, but the deal has no option to be extended further.
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      Meanwhile, Marcos Alonso went to Barca as part of a swap deal that saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go the other way.
      Chelsea paid £10million on top of the Spaniard to complete the deal.
      Barcelona will kick off their Champions League campaign against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday. More

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      Fans all say the same thing as Eden Hazard proves he’s ‘finished’ in worrying Real Madrid training video

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      FANS are all saying the same thing as a “finished” Eden Hazard featured on Real Madrid’s training video.The Spanish club released a clip showing the side’s stars going through their paces in a drill.
      Fans were unkind in their assessment of Eden Hazard’s training ground performanceCredit: YouTube / Real Madrid
      Hazard tried to find multiple ways around his teammate Lucas VazquezCredit: YouTube / Real Madrid
      Hazard eventually gets a tame shot away after spotting a gap to goalCredit: YouTube / Real Madrid
      Madrid won the Champions League and La Liga double last season but players were still keen to show their abilities in this clip.
      The training drill has attackers players going up against defenders in one-on-one challenges.

      They had to try and beat the defender and put it past the goalkeeper.
      The two-minute long video shows Real Madrid’s stars explore ways to beat their man before tucking the ball past the goalkeeper.
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      But the hapless ex-Chelsea ace Hazard noticeably struggled on his first attempt.
      The Belgian can be seen trying to dribble past Lucas Vazquez as he enters the box.
      After a moment of hesitation, he decides to shift onto his right boot.
      Struggling to find a route to goal, he then shifts the ball to his left foot before immediately returning to his right.
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      But his effort is comfortably saved by the keeper.
      In contrast, many of his teammates like wonderkid Aurelien Tchouameni and Luka Modric make it look effortless as they evade their defenders before firing the ball home.
      Hazard did redeem himself and later in the video can be seen confidently striding into the box and dispatching the ball beyond the keeper.
      The moment did not save him in the eyes of some fans who gave a brutal critique of his performance.
      One said: “It hurts to see Hazard so stiff.”
      A second added: “Hazard is so finished.” 
      Another fan said: “It is so evident that Eden Hazard is washed up.” 
      The 31-year-old has struggled since moving to the Bernabeu in 2019 with injuries hampering his dream transfer.
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      He failed to score in 18 league appearances last season and registered only one assist.
      In four La Liga games this season, with Real having won all of them, Hazard has made two appearances so far and will be hoping his injury concerns are behind him. More

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      Miralem Pjanic quits Barcelona and set to join UAE side Sharjah FC in shock transfer, confirms Xavi

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      MIRALEM PJANIC has QUIT Barcelona and will seal a transfer to the United Arab Emirates Pro League. The former Roma and Juventus star will leave Barcelona after two years with the club.
      Miralem Pjanic has seen his role at Barcelona limited to a bench one this seasonCredit: Alamy
      Pjanic previously in action for BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      Barcelona boss Xavi has confirmed the 32-year-old would be departing soon, after omitting him from the club’s squad.
      As quoted by Fabrizio Romano, he said: “Pjanić has decided to leave for more opportunities — he has been a great professional, so I think he had chances here but everyone chooses their own path”
      In joining UAE side Sharjah FC, the midfielder will be linking up with a familiar face from European football in Paco Alcacer.
      Pjanic has been on the bench for every one of Barcelona’s games this season, but has failed to play a single minute in any of them.
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      Last year the Bosnian was shipped out on loan to Turkey, where he spent a season with Besiktas playing 26 times.
      And Pjanic would have not been thrilled to see Barcelona massively bolstering their squad without any major departures in central midfield.
      Xavi has a whole host of options to choose from, with Pjanic some way down the pecking order in terms of ranking.
      His options are so vast in fact, that Manchester United and Chelsea target Frenkie de Jong has been limited mostly to a bench role with Sergio Busquets, Gavi, and Pedri taking up slots in midfield.
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      While his career may be on a downward trajectory as it stands, Pjanic has breathed new life into his hair following a hair transplant.
      Photos revealed the extent of the difference between his hair before and after his loan move to Turkey. More

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      Hector Bellerin to be given ‘absurd’ termination clause in Barcelona deal after quitting Arsenal – but there’s a catch

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      BARCELONA have reportedly added a huge termination clause into Hector Bellerin’s new contract in a bid to avoid a breach in Financial Fair Play rules.Bellerin, 27, joined the La Liga giants on a free transfer from Arsenal on deadline day.
      Bellerin joined Barcelona in a free transfer from Arsenal on deadline dayCredit: Getty
      The defender has signed a one-year dealCredit: Reuters
      However, club chiefs were only able to offer him a one-year deal due to FFP regulations.
      According to Spanish outlet MundoDeportivo, in a bid to avoid FFP breaches Barcelona have taken advantage of financial ‘tricks’ such as offering short-term deals.
      And, they have inserted a £50MILLION termination clause into his contract.
      New boy Marcos Alonso was also offered the same deal following his last-minute move away from Chelsea.
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      The Spaniard joined Barcelona as part of a swap deal which saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go the other way to Stamford Bridge.
      Xavi was eager to add at least one new full-back to his ranks after Sergino Dest agreed to join AC Milan on a season-long loan.
      Despite the club’s dwindling financial status, Barca spent over £140m on new signings during the transfer window.
      Raphinha became Xavi’s first big signing of the summer when he made the £55m move from Leeds in July.
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      Robert Lewandowski then joined in a £42.5m transfer from Bayern Munich after requesting to leave the Bundesliga.
      And Jules Kounde made the £45m switch from Sevilla.
      Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen also signed in free transfers from AC Milan and Chelsea respectively.
      But Barcelona almost had to RELEASE both players before the season kicked off after struggling to register them. More

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      Robert Lewandowski ‘has termination clause included in £216k-a-week contract’ as Barcelona deal is broken down

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      ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI’S £216,000-a-week Barcelona contract has a termination clause inserted, according to reports. But his wages CHANGE every season throughout his four-year stay at the club.
      Robert Lewandowski’s contract at Barcelona makes for interesting readingCredit: Getty
      Lewandowski, 34, joined Barca from Bayern Munich in a £42.5million transfer this summer after declaring his desire to quit the German champions.
      He put pen to paper on a deal at the Nou Camp until 2026.
      And now the finer details of the paperwork have been revealed by Cadena SER Catuluna.
      Incredibly, the Poland star will get paid a net £8.6m in the current 2022-23 season – which works out as £165,000 per week after tax.
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      This will jump to £11.2m (£215,000 per week) next term and then £13.8m (£265,000 per week) in 2024-25 before dropping back to £11.2m in the final year, by which time he will be nearly 38.
      Any club wanting to buy Lewandowski during the course of this deal would need to trigger his £430m release clause.
      However, Barca have the option to terminate his contract early under special circumstances.
      If Lewandowski plays less than 55 per cent of matches in the 2024-25 season, the club will be able to rip up his deal and release him.
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      There are also a series of bonuses in the contract including up to an extra £500,000 should he win LaLiga during his spell in Spain and £1.72m if he secures a league, Copa del Rey and Champions League treble.
      However, there are no bonuses for only winning the Copa del Rey.
      Lewandowski is the main striker in Xavi’s squad, especially after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s £12m transfer to Chelsea on deadline day.
      And he has made a lightning start to life at the Nou Camp.
      Lewandowski failed to score against Rayo Vallecano on the opening day but then struck doubles against Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid plus another goal against Sevilla to take his tally to five in four matches. More

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      Rudiger’s agent confirms Premier League club offered defender DOUBLE Real Madrid’s transfer offer for ex-Chelsea star

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      ANTONIO RUDIGER’S agent has claimed an unnamed Premier League club offered the centre-back double his wages at Real Madrid.Antonio Rüdiger signed a four-year contract at Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Saif Rubie helped facilitate Rudiger’s move to Real MadridCredit: Instagram / @saifpr
      Saif Rubie, the intermediary for a number of players including the German clashed with Simon Jordan on talkSPORT.
      The ex-Chelsea man left Stamford Bridge on a free transfer after failing to agree a new deal.
      Rubie revealed: “Let me confirm this, live on air, the Real Madrid deal was the smallest deal on offer.
      “There was a club in England offering almost double the amount and a club in Europe doubling the amount.”
      Manchester United had been linked with him.
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      Reports emerged that Rudiger was going to receive £10million in signing on fee.
      Rubie took exception to these claims saying: “He [Jordan] said that Rudiger was being very greedy because he was getting paid a £10m signing on fee.
      “And his advisors were getting £10m to go wherever they were going.
      “Let’s break it down. A £10m signing on fee is usually broken across the period of the contract, that’s four years, that’s £40,000-a-week.
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      “Let’s say it is £10m to £15m, the transfer window has just finished.
      “Antonio Rudiger has been one of the best, if not the best, defender in the world and Premier League.
      “It made Carlo Ancelotti want to bring him to Real Madrid. What is the value of a top flight, top level centre half in the game?”
      Rubie also admitted Chelsea’s old owners didn’t offer him a fair salary.
      He said: “What if I told you Chelsea, and the old regime, basically made next to no effort to keep the player.
      “At the time he was very happy to stay and potentially be the captain of the club. He was offered a contract that was half the amount Romelu Lukaku were earning.” More

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      Gattuso tells 18-year-old daughter about ‘ideal man’ Toni Lato as he sees ‘humble’ Valencia teen as future son-in-law

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      GENNARO GATTUSO has claimed Valencia star Toni Lato is the “ideal” man for his 18-year-old daughter.The Italian coach, 44, is currently manager of the LaLiga side after joining them in June on a two-year deal – 12 months after talks to take over at Spurs fell through.
      Valencia boss Gattuso has said he wants his daughter to marry his player LatoCredit: Rex
      Lato currently plays under Gattuso at ValenciaCredit: Rex
      So far they have lost two of their opening three league matches, but did kick-start their campaign with a 5-1 win over Getafe on Sunday.
      Left-back Lato scored Valencia’s first goal of the game in the seventh-minute as they went on to secure a comfortably victory.
      And Gattuso said after the match that he is so impressed with the 24-year-old Spaniard that he has even discussed him with his daughter, Gabriela.
      He said: “I’m lucky to have a kid like Lato. He’s amazing. My coaching staff and I realized that on the first day.
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      “I talked a lot with Toni in these two months because when I looked at his data I saw that he was always injured. He listened to me and now he’s fine.
      “There’s a problem, when he trains he’s 100 percent and it can’t always be like that, because you end up injuring yourself.
      “I think we are managing the situation well. At this point I am very happy for him, he is incredible, he is very humble.
      “He is the ideal man. My daughter is 18 years old and I tell her about him.”
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      Gattuso began life at Valencia with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid.
      But the thrashing of Getafe will boost his side’s confidence after they endured a dismal 2021/22 campaign.
      Valencia missed out on European football altogether last season, finishing ninth in the LaLiga table. More